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Question
#50281. sreya18
asks:
What is St. Elmo's fire?
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mibmob
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St. Elmo's fire is a plasma (i.e. a hot, ionized gas) that forms arounds the tips of raised, pointed conductors during thunderstorms. It is known as a corona discharge or point discharge to physicists. The few people that have had the privilege of viewing an actual St. Elmo's fire have given various descriptions. It has been seen with different physical characteristics depending on the conditions of the viewing. It could be blue to bluish-white, silent to emitting a hissing sound, and ghostly to solid. Some people belive that the Hindenburg was ignited by St. Elmo's fire in 1937, however this theory has yet to be proven.
http://www.physics.northwestern.edu/classes/2001Fall/Phyx135-2/17/whatisstelmosfire.html
will tell you more
Aug 15 04, 10:49 AM
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